Edible plants well-adapted to central Texas
Plum, Methley
A small patch of land is all the space you need to create your luscious food oasis! While growing food for yourself, you’ll also be nurturing wildlife and helping to restore balance to the ecosystem.
Hardy edible perennials, adapted to our central Texas climate, are nature’s gift to gourmets, locavores, and anyone concerned about nutrition. They’re also a godsend to gardeners who would rather “work smart” than work hard!
Our Edibles line is based on the concept of a “Forest Garden“: a diverse and resilient woodland that mimics a natural forest, but is composed primarily of plants that produce an edible or otherwise useful crop for humans. For much more information on edible forest gardens, click here. Our Edibles line is a natural extension of our past efforts, and incorporates the methods we’ve developed at Hill Country Natives over the past decade, to produce plants with robust root systems.
Species notable for their absence in our inventory include Pecans and Citrus. Since Hill Country Natives is focused on an area notorious for its shallow, rocky soil, we have chosen not to grow Pecans, which demand deeper soil to grow well. Similarly, the Hill Country weather is too variable, and often too cold, to be hospitable to most Citrus. We will be pursuing some varieties of Citrus that offer promise in our area.
Species and varieties that we grow have been carefully chosen for the Central Texas environment, particularly with regard to the number of chill hours required (hours below 45 degrees F). The other critical factor in fruiting success is pollination. Most Apple, Pear, sweet Cherry and Japanese Plum varieties require cross-pollination from a compatible variety. Cross-pollination is not essential for Figs, Peaches, Apricots, European Plums and Nectarines, but will often produce more fruit. More pollination information is available here.
Use this page to “window-shop” for edible plants. A great deal of additional information about fruit and nut trees for Texas is available here. Once you know which edibles you want, visit our Shop page to see what’s actually available right now and place your order. Not every plant on our Edible Species List will be available at any given time, but we’ll do our best to accommodate special requests. If you have questions or want some assistance, email us.
(To browse all Edible Species, simply scroll down this page.)
EDIBLE LARGE TREES
Forest Garden
Date Palm Pheonix dactylifera – Size: 45-75ft
Gingko Gingko biloba - Size: 40-70ft
photo & description
Red Mulberry Morus rubra - Size: 50-70ft
photo & description
Wild Black Cherry Prunus serotina - Size: 70-80ft
EDIBLE MEDIUM-SIZED TREES
Anacua Ehretia anacua - Size: 36-72ft
photo & description
Chickasaw Plum Prunus angustifolia - Size: 15-25ft
Mexican Plum Prunus mexicana - Size: 15-38ft
photo & description
Moringa Moringa oleifera - Size: 18-45ft
Red Mulberry Morus rubra - Size: 50-70ft (Prune to desired size)
photo & description
Jujube Ziziphus jujuba - Size: up to 40ft
’Lang’
’Li’
Texas Persimmon Diospyros texana - Size: 12-36ft
photo & description
EDIBLE SMALL TREES
Plum, Methley
Almond Prunus amygdalus – Size: 10-15ft
photo & description
Apple, Blanco Crab - Size: 12ft
Apple Malus domestica – Size: 10-20ft
‘Anna’
’Dorsett Golden’
’Fuji’
Bay Laurel
‘Granny Smith’
’Pink Lady’
Apricot Prunus armeniaca – Size:10-20ft
’Moorpark’
Elderberry, Madonna a cultivar with beautiful variegated leaves.
’Pixie-Cot’ - Size: 8ft (dwarf variety)
’Royal Rosa’
Dogwood, Cornelian Cherry “Golden Glory” Cornus mas ‘Golden Glory’ - Size: 15-20ft
photo & description
Mulberry, Contorted AKA Dragon in the Clouds Morus bombycis “Unryu” - Size: 6 x 6ft
Fig Ficus carica - Size: 15-30ft
Figs
’Alma’
’Celeste’
’LSU Gold’
’Texas Blue Giant’
’Texas Everbearing’ aka ‘Brown Turkey’
Jujube Ziziphus jujuba - Size: up to 40ft
Olive, Arbequina
’Li’
Loquat Eriobotrya japonica - Size: 20-30ft
photo & description
Mulberry ‘Pakistan’ Morus alba - Size: 20-30ft
photo & description
Olive ‘Arbequina’ Olea europaea - Size: 20 x 12ft
photo & description
Mexican Papaya Cerica mexicana - Size: 10ft
photo & description
Young Yucca crop
Pawpaw Asimina trilobay - Size: 15-30ft
photo & description
Peach Prunus persica - Size: 15ft
’Florida King’
’Gold Dust’
’July Elberta’
’June Gold’
’Tex King’
Arizona Cypress
Pear Pyrus communis – Size: up to 25ft
’Keiffer’
’Leconte’
’Warren’
Plum Prunus salicina – Size: 8-15ft
Hollyleaf Cherry
’Nubiana’
’Santa Rosa’
’Weeping Santa Rosa’
6 inches of poor clay over limestone, sheet mulched with cardboard and 2 inches of compost, a few months later it’s growing jerusalem artichokes and sweet potatoes in great abundance.
Pomegranate Punica granatum – Size: 12-24ft x 6-12ft
For Pomegranate information and care, go to pdfdownloadfree.net and enter:
http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/publications/fruit-nut/pomegranates.pdf
’Asperonski krasji’
’Desertnyi’
’King Red’
Chilean Mesquite, thornless
’Nana’
’Purple Sunset’ NOTE: Dwarf size 3-4ft
’Russian # 26′
’Salavatski’
’Surh-anor’ aka ‘Pecos’
’Sweet’
’Texas Red’ aka ‘Russian #18′
EDIBLE SHRUBS:
Our food forest. Here you see nitrogen fixing trees and a variety of edible perennials growing on the fence separating us from our neighbors property. The maypop, passionflower creates a nice visual screen, gorgeous flowers and edible fruit with very little maintenance.
Agarita Mahonia trifoliolata - Size: 6ft x 6ft
photo & description
American Hazelnut Corylus americana – Size: 12ft X 10ft
Black Chokeberry Aronia melanocarpa – Size: 3-6ft
Bay Laurel Laurel nobilis – Size: 10-25ft
photo & description
Elderberry Sambucus nigra – Size: 10ft x 5ft
photo & description
Elderberry, Common Sambucus nigra subsp. canadensis - Size: 10ft X 5ft
photo & description
Goji Berry Lycium barbarum – Size: 3-9ft x 2-4ft
Golden Currant Ribes aurium – Size: 6ft x 3ft
photo & description
Hollyleaf Cherry Prunus ilicifolia – Size: up to 30ft
photo & description
Pineapple Guava Acca Sellowiana – Size: 5-25ft
Pomegranate, Purple Sunset Punica granatum “Purple Sunset” - Size: 3-4ft
Red Autumn Berry, Saginaw Elaeagnus umbellate – Size: 10-15ft
Red Chokeberry Aronia arbutifolia – Size: 6-12ft
photo & description
Red Strawberry Guava Psidium littarale var. cattleianum – Size: 5-25ft
Regent Saskatoon Serviceberry Amelanchier stolonifera – Size: 6-10ft x 6-10ft
photo & description
When you plant herbaceous plants, like these veggies, in with your trees you maximize the space and they act as indicators, wilting when soil moisture is low, letting you know it’s time to water. Often, by the time a tree shows stress from lack of moisture it’s too late to bring it back without loosing significant vigor.
Artichoke Cynara cardunculus
photo & description
Asparagus Asparagus officinalis
photo & description
Chinese Artichokes, Crones Stachys affinis
photo & description
Comfrey Symphytum officinale
photo & description
Cardoon Cynara cardunculus
photo & description
Daylily, Lemon Hemerocallis citrini
Veggies planted on a burm under the drip line of a pecan tree. Many of these veggies are likely to re-seed/ self sew themselves throughout the forest garden.
Daylily, Night-Blooming Hemerocallis lilioasphodelus
photo & description
Edible Cactus (mixed spineless species)
Garlic Chives Allium tuberosum
Garlic, Elephant Allium ampeloprasum
photo & description
Garlic Allium sativum
photo & description
Horseradish Armoracia rusticana
Indian Shot Canna indicta atropurpurea aka canna edulis
photo & description
Olive, Arbequina
Nagaimo Yam Dioscorea opposita
photo & description
Oca Oxalis tuberosa
photo & description
Okinawa Spinach Gynura crepioides
photo & description
Onion, Egyptian Walking Allium cepa aggregatum
photo & description
Onion, White Multiplier Allium cepa aggregatum
Onion, Yellow Potato AKA Yellow Multiplier Onions Allium cepa aggregatum
photo & description
Purple Hopseed Bush
Oregano Origanum vulgare
photo & description
Root Beer Plant Hoja santa aka Piper auritum
Rosemary Rosmarinas officianalis
photo & description
Shallot Allium cepa aggregatum
photo & description
Strawberries: Intensity Woodland Fragaria vesca ; Musk Fragaria moschata ; Rugen AlpineFragaria vesca ; Wild Fragaria virginiana Ecos ; Woodland Ecos Fragaria vesca Ecos
photo & description
Almond Verbena
Strawberry, White Alpine Fragaria vesca alba
photo & description
Sorrel Rumex acetosa
photo & description
Spearmint, Red Stem Apple Mint Mentha spicata
photo & description
Sunchoke Hellonthus tuberosa
photo & description
Wild Leek, Ramps Allium tricoccum
Swiss Chard
Chard Beta vulgaris
photo & description
Chicory Cichorium intybus
photo & description
Kale Brassica oleracea
Runner Beans, Painted Lady Phaseolus coccineus
photo & description
Radicchio Cichorium intybus
photo & description
Yacon Polymnia sanchifolia
Monarch Butterfly
Malabar spinach Basella alba
Orach Atriplex hortensis
photo & description
Purslane Portulaca oleracea
photo & description
Tomato varieties Lycopersion lycopersicum
photo & description
Thornless Blackberries growing on a trellis in the forest garden. This makes them easier to harvest and provides a visual screen.
Blackberry “Arapaho” Rubus fruiticosus ‘Arapaho’ – Size: 6-10ft/ year (Thornless)
photo & description
Blackberry “Nachez” Rubus fruiticosus ‘Nachez’ – Size: 6-10ft/ year (Thornless)
Blackberry ‘Ouatchita’ Rubus fruiticosus ‘Ouatchita’ - Size: 6-10ft/ year (Thornless)
Dewberry Rubus trivialis – Size: 6-10ft/ year (Abundance of thorns)
photo & description
Oak-Leaf Hydrangea
Dragon Fruit Hylocereus undatus ‘Dragon Fruit’ – Size: 20ft
photo & description
Groundnut Apios Americana
photo & description
Hog Peanut Amphicarpaea bracteata
Passionflower, Ruby Glow Passiflora alata “Ruby Glow” – Size: 20ft
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